The Baby-Sitter
by Cece
Summary: [AU] Manx is baby-sitting a few kids, but ends up with more than she can handle. *Weiss cast is chibified!* - Incomplete
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: Weiss Kreuz belongs to Koyasu Takehito and Project Weiss...  
  
Except Ken. *proceeds to hug Ken* Ken's mine. All mine.  
  
*Ran appears to take Ken away from clinging hands*  
  
*pouts*  
  
Author's Notes: This is only my second fanfic... And first Weiss Kreuz fic. I'd really appreciate comments/reviews, good and bad. I got this story idea from a Gundam Wing fanfic I read a while ago... So, if you recognize it, please be gentle with me! I understand that this story can't even compare to the other one! Here are all the characters that will appear in this story, with their age incase you get mixed up:  
  
Manx - 17  
  
Ran - 5  
  
Aya - 2  
  
Ken - 4  
  
Yoji - 7  
  
Omi - 3  
  
Nagi - 3 (I know that Nagi's two years younger than Omi, but I really wanted them to be together and a three-year-old wouldn't usually hang out with a one-year-old)  
  
Schuldich - 8  
  
Brad (still deciding if he's gonna show up) - 9? (Hey! Can't have him too old now, can I?)  
  
Farfarello (still deciding if he's gonna show up) - 7  
  
Birman (still deciding if she's gonna show up) - 17  
  
Warnings: If you don't like kids, I suggest you click your back button. Also, there's -potential- shounen-ai, but it could be easily ignored. I just wanted to drop vague hints incase I wanted to make a sequel or something.  
  
***  
  
The Baby-Sitter:  
  
Chapter One:  
  
It is a beautiful, summer day. The sun is shining brightly, the birds are chirping their lovely melody, and I can vaguely hear the sounds of the neighbourhood kids taking advantage of the gift Mother Nature has bestowed upon our community. Yes, it is a wonderful day; too wonderful to be stuck at home for a baby-sitting job. Unfortunately, I find myself doing just that. Why? I ask myself the same question everyday. Why am I inflicted with such pain and suffering? Why do my parents have to be so cruel to an innocent child, such as I? Why can't they just let me -live-? Alright, so I may be over exaggerating, but come on! I'm a seventeen-year-old, high school girl with developing hormones! Hanging out with my friends and meeting random men is something I need; a requirement in life! But do my parents understand that? No, they tell me that I need to stop being so useless around the house and become more responsible. How? By getting a job, and the only job I can find in the middle of July is baby-sitting. I guess this time around, parents just feel that they need time away from their kids. Oh sure, why not dump them on me? After all, it's not like -I- have anything to do! I'm just a useless, high school kid who needs to be more responsible. Jeez! Whatever happened to privacy is beyond me!  
  
I hear the doorbell ring, and slowly drag myself away from the couch. I trudge slowly towards the front door, unlock it, and twist the knob open to reveal my first clients of the day. A woman greets me gracefully with her warm smile, and I can't help but smile for her in return. In front of her are her two children. A five-year-old son and a two-year-old daughter.  
  
"Hello there, Manx! Thank you so much for taking care of the kids for me today." Mrs. Fujimiya tells me.  
  
"Oh, your welcome, Mrs. Fujimiya! I'm always happy to help you with your children! They're really no trouble at all!" Not really a lie. The boy, Ran, is very quiet when he's all by himself or in the presence of his little sister, Aya. He prefers to settle down and read a children's book or watch some T.V. His sister, though not as quiet, learns to be when her brother is around, since she understands how he enjoys the silence. In combination, they are the perfect angels. Ran protects Aya with all of his heart, while his beloved sister looks up to him.  
  
Their mother beams at me. "Well, I'm glad to hear that! I'd hate to burden you. I'm sure you have much better things to do than baby-sit a couple of kids."  
  
No comment, there.  
  
"Anyway, I need to get going. My husband says we can't be late for the company picnic with the Takatoris. Seems he's almost got himself a business agreement that could give his company a great advantage!"  
  
"Alright, then. Goodbye, Mrs. Fujimiya. I hope you enjoy the picnic!" I wave her off, and allow her two kids entry to my home. I close the door gently behind them.  
  
After securing the lock and putting away their shoes, I lead them into the living room, which held some toys and board games. I watch as little Aya squeals in delight, and proceeds to rummage through my old treasure chest filled with old toys and dolls. Ran follows her at a much slower pace, and sits down to read the book he has brought. I study the cover of the book and smile, because it is a book I've read before, when I was a little girl. Beatrix Potter's "The Tale of Johnny Town-Mouse." Silently, I study the two kids I am in charge of for the next several hours. Ran, with his flaming red hair and pale skin, contrasts greatly to his bouncing sister, with her dark braids and lightly tanned skin. It is very hard to believe that they are siblings.  
  
I settle down on the couch, and resume my soap-opera watching. I glance at the clock on my left, and realise that it is already a quater past twelve. The Hidakas are late again, which doesn't surprise me -too- much. I take advantage of the quiet time before the next kid arrives. Unfortunately, my quiet time is interrupted by the doorbell, five minutes later. I stand up, reluctantly, and walk towards the door, again. I hear the pitter-patter of feet, trailing behind me, and conclude that it must be Ran, eager to meet his best friend. I unlock the door and pull it open to reveal the seemingly innocent child and his father.  
  
"Good afternoon, Manx! How are you, today?" Mr. Hidaka greets with a bright grin.  
  
"I'm doing very well, Mr. Hidaka. How have you been?" I reply, with an equally bright smile.  
  
"I've been pretty good, though this kid keeps me up and on my feet every minute of the day!" he says, gesturing towards his four-year-old son. "I'm sure you can relate."  
  
Oh yeah, can I ever.  
  
"I'm sure he can't be -that- bad, Mr. Hidaka." I lie, swiftly. It's become a habit, lying to adults. Hey, how else can you explain to your parents why you've come home at 2 o'clock in the morning?  
  
The dark-haired man chuckles softly. We hear a loud honk of a horn, and Mr. Hidaka realizes that he mustn't be late for the picnic he and his wife are attending. Yeah, not only are their two sons the best of friends, but the two fathers work together as well.  
  
"Well, I better go. Can't be late!" He hurriedly runs off towards his waiting wife, and I let Ken into the house.  
  
I close the door and secure the lock. However, before I could take Ken's shoes off, I see him running towards the living room with Ran.  
  
"Ken? Ken! Get back here! You need to take your shoes off!" I exclaim, quickly running after them.  
  
"Ran! Ran! Let's watch T.V.! There's this show that I saw my daddy watching, one day, and it looked really cool!"  
  
In one quick movement, I scoop up the little bundle and carried him back towards the front door.  
  
"Ken Hidaka! You -know- what you're suppose to do when you enter my house!" I scold him.  
  
When I put him down, he swiftly kicked off his shows, and ran back into the living room. I sigh, and put his shoes away. This is going to be a -long- day; it always is when Ken's around. Don't get me wrong! He's a very lovable and cute kid! But he isn't so cute when he's bombarding you with questions or knocking over everything in sight.  
  
Entering the living room, I see Ken fiddling with the T.V.'s remote control. I watch the screen turn on and off, on and off, on and off, and I decide that this must -not- be good for the T.V. I grab the remote away from tiny hands, and give Ken and Ran a stern look.  
  
"What are you trying to do?" I ask in an equally stern voice.  
  
"Ma'x! We wanna watch T.V.!" Ken cries.  
  
I settle down between the two boys, and turn the T.V. on again. "What would you like to watch?"  
  
"I wanna watch the show my daddy watches! I saw 'im watchin' it one time and it looked really cool, so now I wanna watch it!"  
  
"I wanna watch it, too." a quiet voice says. I look to my right, and see Ran looking at me through his violet eyes. I should have guessed. Whatever Ken wanted to do, Ran wanted to do. It seems he's only the quiet and peaceful boy -without- his partner.  
  
"Well, what's this show called?" I ask, patiently.  
  
Ken scrunches up that adorable face of his, trying to remember the name of the show. "It's called... 'Bee... Beeves... Beeves an'..." His face lights up, and he triumphantly exclaims, "Beeves an' Butts!"  
  
I look at him, disbelievingly. "'Beavus and Butthead?"  
  
I hear a gentle giggle in the background, and I turn my head to the source of the noise. I see Aya holding my Raggedy Ann doll, hiding her mouth with her hand. "Butt!" she cries out.  
  
I stare at her incredulously, then I turn my gaze towards the two boys beside me. "Um... Ken... I don't think that show's on right now..."  
  
His face falls in disappointment for a couple of seconds, and then he smiles up at me once more. "Tha's alright! Ran and I can do other things, right Ran?"  
  
The little redhead nods in agreement. "I like to read."  
  
The two boys hop off the couch and walk towards the spot Ran had been preoccupying before. They sit down, and Ran starts to tell Ken about the book he had brought, in that quiet voice of his. The brunette listens intently, like a student listening to their teacher during storytime.  
  
So far so good. Usually, Ken would have wanted to play a game of some sort, which led to great disasters. I silently sigh in relief, and switch the T.V. back to the channel it was originally at.  
  
Not even half-an-hour later, I hear the doorbell ring once again. What now? Who dares to spoil my quiet time? I get up from the couch, and walk towards the door. For the third time in one hour, I unlock the door and swing it open to reveal a woman and a boy.  
  
"Oh Manx, dear! I am -so- happy to see you at home!" Well, you don't have to rub it in, you know! "I apologize for not calling you before, but your mother told me that you would be home all week, so I figured that you could baby-sit for my little Yoji, here. I hope you don't mind. I'm in a bit of a rush here, so I need to leave. Thank you again! See you later, sweetie!" And with that, she runs off, her dark curls bouncing happily after her.  
  
Oh great. -Another- kid to deal with. I stare at the 7-year-old for a couple of minutes, before letting him in. Damn woman didn't even let me tell her that I was already taking care of -three- other kids! And you know what? I -do- mind that she didn't tell me about it sooner! I suppress a scream, lock the door, and put away Yoji's shoes. I lead him towards the living room, and watched the interaction with little interest.  
  
"Hey guys!" Yoji greets, tilting his head down so he could see over his new sunglasses. I wonder where he got -that- idea from.  
  
"Hi Yoji! How are ya? I did'n' know you were comin'! Wow! Those are cool! Where' you get those glasses?" Ken, who else could it be?  
  
Did I just see a smirk on little Yoji's face?  
  
"-These-" he emphasizes. "Are sunglasses. When I wear 'em, they look cool, and if I wear 'em with my trench coat, I look even cooler! Like a real dete'tif!"  
  
Ken looks on in awe. "Whoa..."  
  
Yoji smirks again.  
  
Ran frowns a bit, and turns to Yoji. "I'm readin' a book."  
  
Yoji shrugs his shoulders, nonchallantly. "So what? Anyone can read a book!"  
  
Ran pouts. "Not everyone! Aya can't read!"  
  
"Aya's a baby!"  
  
"No! No baby!" Aya cries out in fustration.  
  
Ran turns an angry face on Yoji. "Now you've made her all upset!"  
  
"Well -you- started it!"  
  
"Did not!"  
  
"Did to!"  
  
"Did not!"  
  
"Did to!"  
  
"Did not!"  
  
"Did to!"  
  
"Did not, did not, did not, did not!"  
  
"Did to, did to, did to, did to!"  
  
"Alright! Quiet!" I cry out, suddenly. A person can only take so much. "Ran, it's not nice to accuse people. And Yoji, it's not nice to call someone a baby."  
  
"But she -is-! Aya can' even complete a sentence!" Yoji protested.  
  
"No baby!" Aya cries out again. I walk towards her, and scoop her up into my arms.  
  
"Well, she can understand every sentence -you're- saying." I reply.  
  
Yoji pouts and crosses his arms. I roll my eyes and walk towards the couch. Better leave the kids alone to cool down. They eventually get over it.  
  
A moment later, I hear the doorbell ring again. I swear, someone must hate me or something. I didn't do anything wrong in the past -two- weeks! Why must they put my through such a punishment?  
  
Opening the door, I see two kids at the doorstep. My heart is pounding and I am hoping with all my heart that they're selling brownies. I hold Aya closer to me for good measure.  
  
"Ma'x!" Kids these days can't seem to pronounce the 'n' in my name. "Can Nagi an' I play a' your house t'day?"  
  
I stare at them. No, Manx. No. You can't let them! There are already four kids in your living room! You can't handle six! Don't look at their eyes. -Anything- but those big, innocent eyes... Too late. I looked into their eyes. The three-year-olds look up at me, and I can't help but allow them entry.  
  
"Alright, Omi. But don't make a big mess and stay out of trouble! Some of your friends are already here."  
  
The two boys kick off their shoes and leave me to put them away. Sighing, I set Aya down who jets off towards the living room. There's a party! Walking towards the living room a few minutes later, I freeze in my spot.  
  
Uh-oh.  
  
"Don't touch my hair!"  
  
"Then, don' hurt Ken!"  
  
"I didn' -hurt- Ken!"  
  
"Yes you did! You shoved 'im like this!" Ran proceeded to shove Yoji a few steps back.  
  
"Don' shove me!"  
  
"Well, you shoved Ken!"  
  
"I did -not-!"  
  
"You did -to-!"  
  
"Did not!"  
  
"Did to!"  
  
"Did not!"  
  
"Did to!"  
  
"Did not!"  
  
"Did to!"  
  
"Did not, did not, did not, did not!"  
  
"Did to, did to, did to, did to!"  
  
"Enough!" The room fell silent. "Ran! Over in that corner." I pointed my finger towards the corner in the far right of the room. "And Yoji. That corner." I pointed towards the corner behind me, to my left. "You two -both- need a timeout. I will not tolerate fighting."  
  
The two boys glared at each other before stomping off to their assigned corner.  
  
I heaved a huge sigh. I said this before and I'll say this again. This is going to be a -long- day.  
  
... To Be Continued.  
  
***  
  
Author's Notes: Please review/comment! I'd like to know if I should continue this, or give up! 


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: Weiss Kreuz belongs to Koyasu Takehito and Project Weiss...  
  
Except Ken. *proceeds to hug Ken* Ken's mine. All mine.  
  
*Ran appears to take Ken away from clinging hands*  
  
*pouts*  
  
Author's Notes: This is only my second fanfic... And first Weiss Kreuz fic. I'd really appreciate comments/reviews, good and bad.  
  
Warnings: If you don't like kids, I suggest you click your back button. Also, there's -potential- shounen-ai, but it could be easily ignored. I just wanted to drop vague hints incase I wanted to make a sequel or something.  
  
***  
  
'Thank You's: Thank you -so- much to all those who had reviewed the first chapter. I was so happy that people enjoyed the story, since I was afraid it wasn't good enough for people's tastes. Anyways, I'd like to list off the people who took the time to comment on my story, 'cuz I feel like it:  
  
lorien, Sailor Nova, yuki, Jin (ack! I -love- your stories -so much-! And I agree that RanKen rocks!), fei, Merigold, Kimiki (thank you for being so enthusiastic!), Kyri, Shime, and DragonWing. I hope that's everyone, 'cuz that's all I see...  
  
***  
  
The Baby-Sitter:  
  
Chapter Two:  
  
"What's that, Omi?"  
  
"It's called a la'top! My daddy gave it t'me for my birt'day!"  
  
"Really? That's so cool! Can I try it?"  
  
"I dunno, Ken... I's really 'spensive."  
  
"Play!" Aya cried out, flinging her arms up into the air.  
  
I smiled a bit. This little party hasn't been -too- bad. Just a few misfits and arguments, once in a while... But then again, it's only been an hour since Omi and Nagi arrived. I sighed deeply and covered my face with my hands. When is this day -ever- going to end? I decided that taking care of six children by yourself is not a very smart move... Wait a minute... Six kids? Am I miscalculating or am I missing a kid?  
  
Where's Yoji?  
  
I jump off the couch and ran out of the living room, and into the hallway. Hey! You would panick too if you knew how much trouble that kid could get into!  
  
"Yoji!" I call out, desperately. "Yoji!" I feel my body break into a sweat, my hands are clinging onto my shirt, and I... I... I heave a huge sigh of relief when I see Yoji come out of the kitchen. He has this happy grin on his face, and it's making me -really- nervous.  
  
"Yoji! Don't you -ever- leave the living room without telling me!" I scold him, angrily. Good thing I didn't panick.  
  
Again, that devious grin of his. Where does he learn these things? I better talk to his dad about his influences.  
  
"I was just on the phone! I'm so bored an' Mom an' Dad ain't comin' back 'till late t'night so I called my friend an' he says he'll be right over!"  
  
I swear to God my face paled several shades in that one moment. -Another kid?- This can't be happening. I must be dreaming... No! I must be having a nightmare! I'm probably sleeping in my nice, warm bed, safely tucked in and -far away- from these horrid children. I'm breathing heavily at the moment, and I move my right hand to my left arm, giving myself a good pinch. -Ow!- Okay, then. I guess I'm -not- dreaming... Unfortunately.  
  
"You -what-?" I exclaimed.  
  
Yoji looks up at me, as if I've lost my mind. Well, I'd be surprised if I haven't by the end of the day! "I invited my friend over to keep me company..." he informs me, slowly.  
  
"And -how- does your friend know where I live?" I ask him, testily. Silently, I count from one to ten to calm myself down.  
  
"I tol' 'im that you live on '21 White Cross Circle'! Did I get it right? Did I? My daddy's been teaching me how to read maps an' roads an' stuff!"  
  
I stare at him some more. This kid just told a complete stranger where I live! Oh, when I'm through with him, I'm gonna make him suffer so much ---  
  
"Ma'x? Are ya mad?" he asks me, sadly.  
  
I realize that my eyes had glazed over in anger, and I was probably scaring the poor guy. I sigh to myself, and counted some more. I lightly massaged my temples, and gave him a firm look.  
  
"Yoji, you should have -asked- me for permission to invite your friend over! Inviting someone over without my consent is a -very bad thing-!"  
  
I guess he realizes he did something wrong, because I see his eyes and mouth droop down sadly. He hangs his head and looks down at his feet, ashamed of himself.  
  
"I'm sorry, Ma'x." he says quietly. "I won't do it again. I'll go call 'im and tell 'im he can't come."  
  
I look at him, and hear an imaginary crack of broken glass. My heart breaks just seeing him like this. I can't stay mad at "wittle Yoji." Sighing, I kneel down so that I can look into his jade-coloured eyes.  
  
"Yoji," I say, gently. "You don't have to tell him not to come. I just want you to know that what you did was wrong."  
  
Yoji sniffles a bit, and wipes his face with tiny hands. He flicks some of his dark, wavy hair out of his eyes. "'kay, Ma'x. I won't do it again. Please, don't be mad..."  
  
I smile, reassuringly. "I'm not mad. Just a bit upset... And tired." I nudge his small body back towards the living room. "We'll wait for your friend, and then you two can play."  
  
"Yay!" he cheers, then quickly scampers away towards the living room and everyone else.  
  
Another sigh. I'm tired. I really am. I look at my watch and see that it is barely past two o'clock. Will this day ever end? Don't answer that.  
  
I decide that it's probably time for the kids to have lunch, but before I get a chance to tell the kids, the doorbell rings. I walk over to the door, chanting a silent prayer to a god I hope truly exists. This kid better not be too much trouble. If luck goes my way, he'll be just like Ran.  
  
I unlock the door, and swing it open to reveal a kid with long, red hair.  
  
"Hello." I greet him, politely.  
  
"Hey! Is this Ma'x's house?" the kid asks. I inwardly gulp, studying his attire; a pair of forest green, army pants, a black, sleeveless top, and a bandana that holds his hair back.  
  
"Yes, this is the one. Come in." I step aside to allow him entry. "Please take off your shoes." I make sure to tell him, before he could run off. He kicks of his little sneakers, and I put them away. Yoji comes into the hallway to greet his friend.  
  
"Hi Schu!"  
  
"Hey Yoji!"  
  
Yoji leads him away and into the living room. I desperately promise God a very -big- present if he lets me survive the day.  
  
"Hey everyone! Lookit here! This is -my best friend-," he sneaks a glance towards Ran. "Schuldich!"  
  
"Hiya!" Schuldich waves to everyone around the room. Ken and Omi wave back, happily. Ran ignores them, and Aya and Nagi look at him in awe.  
  
"Hi Schu... Schur..." Ken's face scrunches up in concentration. "Can I just call ya Schu?"  
  
"No! Schu's -my- nickname for 'im! You hafta call 'im by his full name!" Yoji protests. I cover my ears, preparing myself for another fight.  
  
"Ken can call 'im whatever he wants! He doesn't hafta listen to -you-!" Ran to the rescue, once again.  
  
Before a full-blown argument could ensue, I announce loudly, "Lunch time!"  
  
Loud cheering and happy squeals. The children all scramble up to me, eager to eat the famous "Ma'x Sandwiches."  
  
"Ma'x's sandwiches are the best. You'll really like 'em." Yoji tells Schuldich, reasurringly. I smile, proudly. Well, not to brag or anything...  
  
I lead them towards the kitchen, where I had a couple of stacks of sandwiches waiting and ready. I always make extras, incase I get hungry on the job, which is pretty often when it comes to these young charges. I start to hand them out, one by one. I've memorized each kid's preferences by now. Ran likes his sandwich holding two slices of chicken with a small whip of margarine. Ken enjoys three slices of chicken, accompanied with lettuce, tomatoes, and mayonnaise. Omi and Nagi both enjoy peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Aya still eats baby food whenever she's with me. Yoji likes salami on toasted bread with mayonnaise. Do I always give such a large variety of sandwiches to my charges even when I'm not expecting them? Of course! After all, -I'm- the one who gets to eat all the leftovers.  
  
Looking at Schuldich, I ask what kind of sandwich he would like.  
  
"I want what Yoji's havin'." Schuldich tells me. I smile and hand him the sandwich. Why am I not surprised?  
  
Seeing Aya, trying to reach for a sandwich, I quickly pick her up and carry her towards a high chair. Setting her down, I whip out a small jar of baby food from the refrigerator, and prepare to spoon feed her. Unfortunately, Aya doesn't want to participate today, so she turns her head away from the spoon I direct at her. By now, all the kids have seated themselves at the table, and are munching away at their lunch.  
  
From the corner of my eye, I watch the interaction among the children.  
  
"What're -you- starin' at?" Schuldich asks Nagi.  
  
The brunette's eyes widen and shakes his head, looking down at the sandwich in his tiny hands.  
  
"You gotta problem with my clothes, baby?" Man, this kid needs an attitude adjustment! I guess I can see where Yoji's influences lay.  
  
"Leave Nagi alone!" Omi defends his best friend.  
  
"Then tell 'im ta stop starin' at me! It ain't polite ta stare!" Schuldich yells back.  
  
"He wasn't starin'! He was just lookin'!"  
  
"What's the difference? It ain't polite ta look without askin'!" Yoji exclaims.  
  
"Who says?"  
  
"-I- did!"  
  
"No one cares what you think!"  
  
"-I- care what Yoji thinks!"  
  
"Well, no one cares what you think either, -Schu-!"  
  
"Don't call me that! You don't have pe'mission!"  
  
"Quiet, please! We're trying to have lunch. Could you keep it down?" I say. These kids are really trying my patience, today. "Schuldich, they can't pronounce your name yet, so you'll have to settle with 'Schu.' Omi, -everyone's- opinion counts, so don't be rude."  
  
Omi and Schuldich pouted, but silently ate their sandwiches.  
  
I continued to spoon-feed Aya, who continued to avoid the spoon. She pushed it away with her little arms, and slammed her baby fist on top of the chair's table.  
  
"No!" she cries.  
  
I sigh heavily. Feeding Aya isn't usually this difficult. I guess she finally realized what teeth are used for, and wants to become a big kid as well. I continue my attempt to stuff the spoon into her mouth, while the other kids continue to eat and talk.  
  
"... An' then I saw 'em all arguin' an' they started to throw food at each other an' then they were all yellin' an' screamin' for everyone to stop and stuff, it was so cool!" Ken was rambling again about things he saw on T.V., while Ran listened silently. He smiled seeing Ken so enthusiastic with his story.  
  
"Was it messy?" Yoji asked, curiously.  
  
"Yeah! The room was all dirty an' people were yellin' and sayin bad words, an' mommy an' daddy told me never to say 'em 'cuz then I'd be bad." Ken continued to bounch around on his chair, his hands a sticky mess.  
  
"Whoa... -We- should have a food fight..." Omi exclaims, with wide eyes and a bright smile. Beside him, Nagi seems to have gotten over his fear of Schuldich's wrath, and grins, bobbing his head in agreement.  
  
By now, I've frozen in place and I hear my heart pounding loudly. No... They would -never- think of --  
  
"Food fight!" A sudden exclamation, and all of the children were throwing food at one another, piece by piece.  
  
I stare, incredulously, as my precious sandwiches get ripped up into small pieces, only to be thrown at the person across the table. Everything passes by me like a scene in slow-motion; I see Schuldich climb up onto the table, raise his arm and throw his first piece of bread, which hits Ken squarely in the face. Ran is standing on his chair, swinging his arms in a long swoop towards the other side, a large chunk of his sandwich landing in Yoji's hair. I hear yelling and screaming, laughter and cackles. Omi and Nagi take cover under the table, to avoid the masacre, though they peak out once in a while to throw a piece or two of their sandwiches. Unfortunately, they couldn't see properly, with their heads half hidden, and one of their pieces land on my face. -That- was what startled me from my trance.  
  
"Stop!" No one seems to hear me, through all of the chaos, and I feel my veins ready to pop out. If I get a gray hair before I hit twenty-years- old, I'm blaming it on the brats' parents. "Stop!" I tried again.  
  
Beside me, Aya is laughing and giggling at the large glob of peanut butter stuck in between my red curls. I can vaguely feel some mayonnaise hit my face, as my face slowly contorts in anger. Aya seems to realize that my face is changing, and stops her squealing abruptly. She wiggles in her high chair, attemping to get away from me.  
  
No one else seems to realize that I'm about to blow.  
  
I turn my head towards the big blur that's suppose to be six kids. I take a deep breath.  
  
"-Stop!-" I scream out, at the top of my lungs. I swear I can hear birds and squirrels scamper away from the house; I can even hear the faint echo of that one word.  
  
The room was suddenly silent, save for the heavy breathing of the children. Everyone is staring at me with wide eyes; they must be scared out of their wits. Good! It'll teach you brats a lesson!  
  
The doorbell rings. I slowly get up, ready to tell whoever is at the door to get the hell off my property. The house is deadly quiet, and I -know- that the children are terrified. Ma'x has never blown up before.  
  
Swinging the door open angrily, I reveal a small kid wearing an eyepatch. His pale skin and almost white hair startles me a bit, and I find myself unable to speak. That's alright, he decides to start first.  
  
What he said wasn't alright, though.  
  
"I'm Schu an' Yoji's friend. They said I can come play."  
  
I let the scary kid inside, silently. My face must still be distorted, but this doesn't seem to scare the new comer.  
  
"You've got somethin' on your face." he informs me. I can only nod.  
  
Swiftly, I walk towards the living room and towards the couch. I sit down and turn towards the phone and clock; 2:43 pm. I pick up the phone and my fingers fly over it, dialing a number I know so well.  
  
One ring, two rings, three --  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Birman! Save me!"  
  
... To Be Continued.  
  
***  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
For the next chapter, I decided that Brad -will- appear, but I think I'll change his age. Originally, he's suppose to be 9, but I can't picture him as only a couple of years older than the other Weiss characters, so I changed my original idea a bit.  
  
This chapter was suppose to focus a bit more on Yoji and Schuldich, since the last chapter focused on Ran and Ken. Next chapter will probably be about Omi and Nagi... At least, I hope so. I didn't talk about them too much in this chapter. Sorry!  
  
Also, -yes- I understand that I didn't really give a description of Manx until near the end of this chapter, but it was only because I wanted her to bring it up naturally. I couldn't picture her tell us what she looks like, just out of the blue. So, I hope no one had a problem with that.  
  
By the way, Schuldich is suppose to be 8, but Manx hasn't asked him about it yet, so yeah... Don't be confused.  
  
Please review/comment! Is this story getting good? I'd really like to know! 


	3. Chapter Three

Disclaimer: Weiss Kreuz belongs to Koyasu Takehito and Project Weiss...  
  
Except Ken. *proceeds to hug Ken* Ken's mine. All mine.  
  
*Ran appears to take Ken away from clinging hands*  
  
*pouts*  
  
Author's Notes: This is only my second fanfic... And first Weiss Kreuz fic. I'd really appreciate comments/reviews, good and bad.  
  
Warnings: If you don't like kids, I suggest you click your back button. Also, there's -potential- shounen-ai, but it could be easily ignored. I just wanted to drop vague hints incase I wanted to make a sequel or something.  
  
***  
  
'Thank You's: Again, thank you to all those who took the time to review my fic! I really appreciate it! So, here's another list of people I give my thanks to:  
  
Kimiki (hanktay ouyay), L-chan, koneko maxwell, LittleIsa, The Shattered Angel, Jin (I'm still waiting for your next "Abyssinan" chapter!), fei (I agree! KenKen is just the best! *cuddles Chibi-KenKen*), Unico, Sailor Nova (seven kids must've been terrible!), Jo, Yami No Tenshi, an Anonymous, and Kato-chan!  
  
***  
  
The Baby-Sitter:  
  
Chapter Three:  
  
"Ma'x! Aya won't stop playin' with my hair!"  
  
"Ma'x... That new boy won't stop starin' a' me..."  
  
"Ma'x, I can't find my book."  
  
"Ma'x! Schu won't stop touchin' my la'top!"  
  
I growl in fustration, as I'm bombarded with complaints and whines. Don't lose it now, Manx... Just another half-an-hour and Birman will come and help you. When she gets here, she can help out with the kids. Unfortunately, -a lot- can happen in thirty minutes when you have eight kids under one roof. I take a look at my watch again. Have you ever noticed that time seems to stop at the -worst- times?  
  
"Hey Ran! Lookit what I found!" Ken came running into the living room, holding my soccer ball in his small hands. Whoever told him to rummage through the closet is beyond me. He held it high in the air, to show it off. "Now we can play!"  
  
"Okay." Ran replies, quietly, walking towards him.  
  
Okay? No, not okay. "Sorry, Ken. But you're not allowed to play soccer indoors." I tell him, or rather, -reminded- him for the nth time.  
  
Pursing his bottom lip, Ken nods and puts the ball down. Ran stands in front of him, takes his hand, and leads him away.  
  
"That's okay, Ken. You can help me find my book." he suggests.  
  
Brightening up, Ken nods his head, vigorously. Now isn't this scene the sweetest thing you've ever seen?  
  
I walk away from the two, and bend down to retrieve Aya from the floor. I carefully pry her fingers away from Yoji's dark curls, and lift her up, placing her on my right hip while my right arm is supporting her tiny back. Turning towards the other kids, I start rattling off a small list of orders.  
  
"Farfarello, please stop staring at Nagi. Ran, I don't know where your book is, why don't you look under the couch? Schuldich, stop touching Omi's laptop, if he doesn't want you to." I see Schuldich pout and cross his arms, glaring daggers at the smiling blonde.  
  
"It's not that cool, anyway." he declares with a huff.  
  
"It is to! I's got a whole bunch o' stuff! Right Nagi?"  
  
Nagi nods his head, not daring enough to speak in the presence of a bully.  
  
"We still can't find it, Ma'x." I feel a slight tug on my jeans, and look down to see violet eyes peering up at me.  
  
I sigh. "Has anyone seen Ran's book?"  
  
No one speaks up.  
  
Aya is moving frantically in my arms, trying to look at the people behind her. Suddenly, she screams, "Ice cream!"  
  
My eyes widen, and I hear loud cheering from everyone else.  
  
"Yeah! Ice cream!"  
  
"Can I have choc'late?"  
  
"I want strawberry!"  
  
"Can I have mine in a cone?"  
  
"Can I have a sundae? Like the ones in 'McDonald's'?"  
  
I feel my eye twitching a few times. I take a deep breath for what seems like the ten millionth time, and slowly face my young charges.  
  
"I don't think I have enough ice cream for -all- of you." I say to them. I hear a chorus of groans and whines.  
  
"Tha's okay, we can go to 'Baskin Robbins'!" Ken declares. Another chorus of cheers, followed by a silent sob for my wallet.  
  
"I've got another idea. Why don't we sit here and wait for my friend, Birman, to arrive? When she comes, we can all ask -her- if we could have ice cream."  
  
"Birman's comin'? When?" Yoji asks, eagerly.  
  
"Uh... Soon. She says she'll come over only if you kids are good." I tell them. Will the kids take the bait? I'm getting desperate here!  
  
"Really? Nagi, we gotta be good, 'kay? Las' time Birm'n came t'my house, she let me play this really cool computer game!"  
  
"Whoa..." Nagi looks at him, in awe.  
  
"Wait a minute!" Schuldich speaks up. He turns towards me, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. "If Birman's comin' already, how does she know if we've been good or bad? By the time she finds out, she'll already be here!"  
  
Damn. Smart kid.  
  
"Well..." Come on, Manx! Think of something! "Uh... Birman, has special... Abilities..."  
  
"Special -abilities-?" Schuldich asks, looking at me skeptically.  
  
"Yes." I continue to tell him; do I sound convincing to you? "Birman has the special -ability- to... See what other people are doing, even when she's not there!" Hey! I -told- you I was getting -desperate-!  
  
"Really?"  
  
"That's so cool!"  
  
"I wanna do that, too!"  
  
"I've always wanted to move things around without touchin' 'em..."  
  
"That'd be so cool, Nagi!"  
  
"It'd be even cooler if I could read people's minds!"  
  
"I wish I couldn't feel pain... 'Cuz then I'd be able ta cut myself without feelin' it."  
  
Everyone looks at Farfarello, and back away slowly. I make a note of putting away all the sharp appliances in the kitchen.  
  
An idea suddenly pops into my head, and I turn back to the group. "I have a suggestion! Why don't we play a game?"  
  
"A -game-?" Yoji asks me. "What -kind- of game?"  
  
"A -fun- game." I reassure him. "It's called 'The Chain'." [1]  
  
"'The -Chain-'?" Schuldich repeats, incredulously. "Sounds stupid to me."  
  
"Well, it may not seem -stupid- to everyone else." I retort. Jeez, I wonder if Birman's ever baby-sat this kid before. How could she put up with him? How could his -parents- put up with him?  
  
"How do ya play it?" Omi asks, curiously.  
  
"Well, everyone needs to split up into two different groups." I instruct.  
  
"There's an odd number." Ran states, excluding his baby sister from anything that may harm her.  
  
"That's alright. Who wants to be the leader?"  
  
"Oh, I do!"  
  
"No! I wanna!"  
  
"Me, me!"  
  
"Quiet!" I seem to be saying that a lot, lately, haven't I?  
  
"May I, please, be the leader, Ma'x?" Farfarello asks, sauntering up towards me.  
  
I smile at him. "Yes, you may." Aw, how sweet! I guess under that wild complexion, he is a very polite boy.  
  
I start to separate the kids into two groups of three. Even with -this- task I had a bit of a problem. When I tried to separate Ran and Ken, Ran would stare me down even when I'm several feet taller than him. When I tried to separate Omi and Nagi, they would give me those sad puppy-dog eyes. When I tried to separate Yoji and Schuldich, Schuldich would growl at me. It was time for me to growl in fustration.  
  
"Alright," I declare. "I -need- for everyone to cooperate with me to play this game!"  
  
I see Omi and Nagi huddle together, hear them whisper in their soft voices, nod their heads, and turn back towards me.  
  
"I can go on Yoji and Schu's team, and Nagi can go on Ran and Ken's team." Omi informs me. I smile gratefully at the two boys.  
  
"Alright, then. What you need to do, is sit down and hold hands. Each team will face each other. The leader will sit here," I point to one end of the two lines the teams made. "And hold -your-" I point to Omi and Nagi who are facing each other. "Hands."  
  
Everybody gets into position without -too- much trouble, and finally, the game is ready to be played. I sit down on the carpet behind the group of children, placing Aya gently in my lap. She giggles and laughs for no particular reason.  
  
"When I say go, the leader will squeeze both of Omi and Nagi's hands at the same time. They, in turn, will squeeze their partner's hands," I gesture to Yoji and Ken. "And then they will squeeze their other partner's hands," I gesture to Schuldich and Ran. "Once either Schuldich or Ran feel their hand being squeezed, they have to jump up, and run to touch that wall." I point towards the wall a small distance away from the group. "Whoever touches the wall first, their team wins."  
  
"What do we get if we win?" Schuldich asks. Inwardly, I roll my eyes. Kids these day...  
  
"You will get the privilege of telling everyone that you won." I reply. He looks at me in disgust.  
  
"What does prif... privi... What does that word mean?" Ken asks, looking at me with his round eyes.  
  
"Privilege means 'to be able' or 'allowed to'." I tell him.  
  
"Oh... Okay!" he says, smiling cheerfully.  
  
"Okay, is everyone ready to start?" I see everyone nod their heads. "Then, close your eyes and don't open them until the game is over."  
  
I silently nudge for Farfarello to begin, and he does.  
  
The room is very quiet, as I wait for the game to finish. Then suddenly...  
  
"Ouch! Don't squeeze so hard!"  
  
"Sorry, Yoji!" Omi says, sheepishly.  
  
"Hey! Your eyes are open!"  
  
"How would -you- know? Your eyes are suppose ta be closed, too!"  
  
"I haven't felt anyone squeeze my hand, yet!"  
  
"Run, Schu! Run!"  
  
I see Schuldich jump off the ground, run towards the wall, and nearly slam into it.  
  
"We won, we won, we won!"  
  
"Yeah!"  
  
The trio jump up and down in victory, cheering and laughing.  
  
"Ma'x... I didn't feel Far'ello squeeze my hand..." Nagi informs me in a very quiet voice.  
  
I look at him questioningly, then turn my head towards Farfarello, who is sitting on the carpet, grinning from ear to ear. I groan when I realize what must have happened.  
  
"Farfarello!" I tell him sternly. "Why didn't you squeeze Nagi's hand? You're suppose to squeeze -both- of their hands at the same time!"  
  
Farfarello looks up at me with his one visible eye.  
  
"Farfarello..." I say, sternly. Jeez, I guess the kid isn't as sweet as I thought.  
  
He blinks at me. Hey... The kid's kind of freaky... "I wanted 'em to win." he stated, matter-of-factly.  
  
I close my eyes and look at my watch. 3:42. Birman. Is. Late.  
  
As if on cue, I hear a loud banging on the door, and I gently push Aya off my lap, and sprint towards the front door. Slamming it open, I reveal a young seventeen-year-old girl with short, dark brown hair and dark eyes. Behind her is a geeky-looking boy with big glasses.  
  
"Birman is -here-!" she declares, brightly.  
  
... To Be Continued.  
  
***  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
[1] This game was played at my friend's little sister's birthday party. There was no name for it then, so I just decided to make one up... Okay, so "The Chain" isn't the best name, but it makes sense! 'Cuz everyone's holding each other's hands, making a chain of squeezes... *sees everyone looking skeptical* Don't look at me like that!  
  
Did this chapter seem shorter to you? I don't know... I think I've been skipping lines too many times... Anyways... Birman and the geeky-looking kid's gonna be in the next chapter!  
  
Sorry for any spelling mistakes or grammatical errors. I'm too lazy to read it over more than once, so yeah... Bare with me for a while, okay?  
  
Please review/comment! Does this story suck? Should I throw it away into a bottomless pit and rid the world of such a stupid fanfic? 


	4. Chapter Four

Disclaimer: Weiss Kreuz belongs to Koyasu Takehito and Project Weiss...  
  
Except Ken. *proceeds to hug Ken* Ken's mine. All mine.  
  
*Ran appears to take Ken away from clinging hands*  
  
*pouts*  
  
Author's Notes: This is only my second fanfic... And first Weiss Kreuz fic. I'd really appreciate comments/reviews, good and bad.  
  
Warnings: If you don't like kids, I suggest you click your back button. Also, there's -potential- shounen-ai, but it could be easily ignored. I just wanted to drop vague hints incase I wanted to make a sequel or something.  
  
***  
  
'Thank You's: I am -very- surprised by all the positive reviews I've been receiving. Thank you again to all those who have taken the time to review the fic! Specifically...  
  
Jin (share KenKen? Sure! *sees Ran giving her "the look".*), Sailor Nova (if you ever plan to use that game, I hope you don't find yourself with the same problem Manx did!) , trinchardin, siberian, chrise, The Shattered Angel, Yami No Tenshi, fei, Kimiki, and monophobia!  
  
***  
  
The Baby-Sitter:  
  
Chapter Four:  
  
"Hiya Birm'n!"  
  
"Birm'n!"  
  
"Who's that guy?"  
  
"Nagi an' I've been good! See?"  
  
"Can ya really see us without bein' here?"  
  
"I can read minds! Can you?"  
  
"Ice cream!"  
  
Hehe. Poor, poor Birman. I heave a huge sigh of relief when I see my best friend enter the living room with her young charge, Bradley. I watch the expression on her face change from confident to surprise to distress. Well, at least now I don't have to face this dilemma alone.  
  
"The kids want to go to 'Baskin Robbins' for ice cream." I inform her. "I told them to wait for you, before we go."  
  
She looks at the group of children, all eager and ready to take a small field trip to the nearest ice cream shop.  
  
"Ice cream!" Aya demands, once again.  
  
I gesture towards the little girl, for emphasis. "I hope you have money on you."  
  
She brushes the comment right off, as if I were asking what colour shirt she was wearing. Did I tell you that her father was loaded? "Alright, let's go for ice cream!" she declares.  
  
Loud cheering and squeals from the children, before they jet off towards the closet for their shoes.  
  
"Quit shovin'!"  
  
"Then hurry up, ya slow-poke!"  
  
"Move over!"  
  
"Hey! I can't get my other shoe!"  
  
"Ma'x, could ya help me tie my shoelaces?"  
  
"I can teach ya, Nagi. It's easy!"  
  
"Ran taught -me- how ta tie my shoelaces a -long- time ago!"  
  
After getting everyone ready, I open the door to let the squabbling kids fight their way out. I quickly take Aya away from the crowd, and let her settle on my right hip. Bradley is the last to leave.  
  
"Why do -I- have to be here?" he angrily demands of me. "-I- was busy at home doing extensive research for my summer project."  
  
"Oh?" I ask, curiously. "And what kind of research is this?"  
  
"I was busy studying the different graphs on the internet, that describe how the businesses, my father invested in, are doing. I believe that if I study them accurately enough, I can also try to predict how the company will turn out in the near future. That way, I can tell my father which businesses he should continue to invest in, or which ones he should give up on. So far, my research tells me th --"  
  
"You're tryin' ta predi't the future?" Ken asks him, curiously.  
  
Bradley looks down at the brunette in disgust, angry for being interrupted in the middle of his little speech.  
  
"-No-. I'm not trying to predict the future. I do not believe in such trivial things. Psychics are merely regular humans with no lives and a useless imagination. They believe in what they would -like- to believe, instead of what is really there. -I- accept all that happens to the world, and -I- don't doubt the truths that science and mathematics bring to society."  
  
Ken stares at him, with a completely clueless expression on his face. By this time, Ran has joined our little circle.  
  
"He said he can't tell the future." Ran explains, in that quiet voice of his.  
  
Ken looks at Ran in comprehension, smiles, and nods his head. "Oh!" He turns his head up towards Bradley again. "That's alright! I can't tell the future, either!" With that, he skips off towards the other children, with Ran following close behind.  
  
I look down at the very annoyed twelve-year-old. "He's only four." I tell him.  
  
He growls at me, unappreciatively. "I'm never gonna have kids."  
  
With Birman leading the small lineup and Bradley and I bringing up the rear, we all march towards Main Street to get some much needed ice cream. However, with these kids, there is never without -some- misfortune, along the way.  
  
"Yoji! Stop steppin' on my shoe!"  
  
"I'm not touchin' you!"  
  
"Omi, could ya walk any slower?"  
  
"I'm goin' as fast as I can!"  
  
"Ow! Quit pokin' me!"  
  
"My shoelaces are untied!"  
  
"Ma'x! Yoji won' stop steppin' on my shoe!"  
  
"Ma'x! Someone won' stop pokin' me!"  
  
"Ma'x... I dunno how ta tie shoelaces."  
  
"Ma'x! Far'ello won't stop shovin' me!"  
  
I'm behind all of these kids, and I'm wondering why my name is still called. Do they even -know- that Birman is here?  
  
"Everyone, quiet!" Nope, that wasn't me.  
  
Silence falls among the line of children, and I see them all staring up at a fuming Birman.  
  
"No fighting, no touching, no whining, or else -no-," she glares at each person. "Ice cream."  
  
A collective gasp and silence, once more. It is short lived, however, a few minutes later, with excited chatter about the kind of ice cream they wanted to get.  
  
"I think I'm gonna get 'Strawberry Cheesecake'."  
  
"I like 'Chocolate'." [1]  
  
"I've never tried 'Pink Bubblegum'."  
  
"Is 'Oreo' good?"  
  
"Have ya ever tried 'French Vanilla'?"  
  
Hearing all of these different flavours of ice cream, my stomach starts to growl. I've always liked their 'Reese's Peanut Butter Cup'...  
  
We have reached the edge of the neighbourhood, and a wonderful scene greets us. On our right are still more homes, however the left gives us a breathtaking view of the community's cherished pond; surrounded by a great forest, it is home to many different critters and Canadian geese. As we follow the path that lays alongside the pond, an art gallery comes into our view. By now, we've reached the entrance to the community's Main Street. It is located on a very small road, but it hosts many beautiful attractions. The road is filled with over a dozen old homes, probably over a hundred-years-old, which were turned into little shops or restaurants to attract tourists. [2]  
  
The kids eagerly walk across the street without any problems, like a flock of ducklings following their mother duck, Birman. I see people wandering the street stop and stare at our big group. I hear them "ooh" and "ah" at the sweet, obedient children, and laugh and giggle at the adorable group. Never once did I hear anything about how nice and responsible I am for taking care of these "obedient" children.  
  
"We're here!" Birman announces, still at the head of the line. A chorus of cheers follow her declaration.  
  
Before Birman and I are bombarded with demands and questions, I clear my throat and order in a loud voice, "We will buy your ice cream -two- at a time. The rest will -stay here- and wait for their turn."  
  
I turn to Birman. "-You're- staying here to watch the kids, while I go in to buy the ice cream."  
  
She rolls her eyes at me. "Yes, Mom."  
  
I keep looking at her. "I... Uh... Need some money."  
  
I watch her rummage through her small handbag, and take out a wad of cash.  
  
"You're lucky Daddy gave me my allowance this morning." she says, smiling at me.  
  
It's time for me to roll -my- eyes. "You mean to tell me your Daddy doesn't give you daily allowances everyday now?"  
  
After handing over Aya to Birman, I turn towards the first two boys I see.  
  
"Omi and Nagi, your turn first."  
  
"Yay!" Omi cries, gleefully.  
  
I open the door to 'Baskin Robbins,' and try to balance myself when the two little tykes nearly trample over me to get to the counter.  
  
"Whoa! There's so many!"  
  
"Which one you gonna get, Omi?"  
  
"I 'unno! Um... What's that green one with the chocolate?"  
  
"Tha's a cool colour. You should try it!"  
  
"Which one you gonna get?"  
  
"I like the one with the cookie dough. It tastes like my mommy's cookies before she bakes 'em."  
  
"Tha's so cool! I should try tha' some day!"  
  
"Have you two chosen what you wanted, yet?" I ask, hovering over the two, tiny bodies.  
  
"Yep! I wan' that green one!" Omi declares, giving me a great big grin.  
  
"Can I have the cookie dough one?" Nagi asks, shyly.  
  
"Okay, then." I reply. I turn towards the counter. "One kiddie scoop of 'Mint Chocolate Chip' and another of 'Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough'."  
  
After purchasing their ice cream, we walk back out, and I collect the next two kids.  
  
Ken runs inside, happily and heads towards the counter. Fortunately, Ran walks inside in a much more quiet fashion.  
  
"What would yo --"  
  
"I want 'Strawberry Cheesecake'!" Ken yells up at the man behind the counter.  
  
The man looks at me questioningly, and I smile at him, nervously.  
  
"I like 'Chocolate'." Ran tells me, softly.  
  
"A kiddie scoop of 'Strawberry Cheesecake' and another of 'Chocolate'." I tell the man.  
  
I collect the next couple of kids.  
  
"What're you gonna get, Farf?" Yoji asks the pirate-looking kid.  
  
"'Nutty Coconut' sounds cool." Farfarello replies. Typical.  
  
"I think I'll have 'Gold Medal Ribbon'."  
  
"A kiddie scoop of each, please." I tell the man.  
  
When I walk outside with the two kids, I hear yelling and shouting coming from the small group of kids.  
  
"Four-eyes!"  
  
"Incompetent fool!"  
  
"Nerd!"  
  
"Stupid redhead!"  
  
"Hey! Ran's got red hair, too, but he's not stupid!" Ken cries out, in defense.  
  
"Well, -this- redhead is!" Bradley points an accusing finger at Schuldich.  
  
"Just 'cause you're the only one interested in the -stupid- ako-system --"  
  
"It's -ecosystem-! Your brain's too small to even comprehend such a simple term!"  
  
"Stop usin' such stupid words!"  
  
"Then stop bein' so -stupid-!"  
  
"Hey, hey! What's going on, here?" I stomp my foot on the ground, in front of the two bickering kids.  
  
Bradley points at the redhead again. "He insulted my research paper I was tellin' 'em about --"  
  
"-No one- was listenin' to your -stupid- speech 'bout the ako-system --"  
  
"It's -ecosystem-!" Bradley cried out exasperately.  
  
"No one cares!"  
  
"-I- care!"  
  
"Only 'cause your -boring-!"  
  
"At least I'm not -stupid-!"  
  
"Bradley! -No one- is stupid!" I interrupt.  
  
"Don't call me Bradley!" Bradley yells back.  
  
"Hah! -Bradley-! -Bradley-!" Schuldich howls out, laughing hysterically.  
  
"Why you --"  
  
"Birman! I thought I told you to -watch- them!" I turn towards my so- called best friend.  
  
"I did watch them. I saw the whole thing." she tells me, cluelessly.  
  
I growl out in fustration.  
  
Grabbing the still squabbling kids, I drag them into the shop to purchase their ice cream.  
  
After paying for a kiddie scoop of 'Pink Bubblegum' for Schuldich and a 'Jamoca Almond Fudge' for Bradley, we walk out of the shop. Finally, we can go home now.  
  
However, as I step back onto the sidewalk, I see Birman looking at my apologetically.  
  
"They said they wanted to go to the pond, to play with the ducks." she informs me.  
  
It took everything in me just to keep a groan from escaping my lips. Reluctantly, I nodded, and followed the throng of children, walking towards the pond.  
  
... To Be Continued.  
  
***  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
[1] Who do you think said those two lines? Ran and Ken, of course! Sorry, fei! I took the idea from your fic "Strawberry and Chocolate" (which was very good, by the way). I just couldn't resist! They're my favourite couple!  
  
[2] That was an actual description of the Main Street I live near. It's actually one of my most favourite places to be. If anybody is interested, it's called Main Street Unionville, located in Markham, Ontario, Canada. (Yes, I'm Canadian)  
  
Again, I apologize for any spelling mistakes or grammatical errors you may find!  
  
Please review/comment! Am I boring you, yet? 


End file.
